U.S. launches national security probe into titanium sponge imports

1 Min Read

WASHINGTON, March 4 (Reuters) - The U.S. Commerce Department on Monday launched a national security probe into titanium sponge imports, a key input in military aircraft and other equipment like space vehicles, satellites, naval vessels, missiles, and munitions.

The probe under Section “232” follows a prior investigation by the Commerce Department in 2017 to review if titanium sponge imports from Japan and Kazakhstan were injuring U.S. producers after receiving a petition from U.S.-based Titanium Metals Corp, part of Berkshire Hathaway Inc’s Precision Castparts Corp . In 2017, the U.S. International Trade Commission voted to end its probe into the imports, saying it found no harm. (Reporting by David Shepardson Editing by Tom Brown)